# US 2017/0254306 A1 · Inlet Control Valve With Snap-Off Coil Assembly

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- Number: US 2017/0254306 A1
- Document ID: US20170254306A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/411,142
- Filed: 2017-01-20
- Published: 2017-09-07
- Earliest claimed: 2016-03-07
- Assignees: Stanadyne, Inc.
- Applicants: Stanadyne LLC
- Inventors: Robert G. Lucas
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170254306A1

## CPC

- F02M 59/466: {Electrically operated valves, e.g. using electromagnetic or piezoelectric operating means}
- F02M 59/368: {Pump inlet valves being closed when actuated}
- F02M 59/48: Assembling; Disassembling; Replacing
- F04B 7/0076: {the members being actuated by electro-magnetic means}
- F04B 49/22: by means of valves (F04B49/03 takes precedence)
- F04B 53/1082: {magnetic}
- F16K 27/029: {Electromagnetically actuated valves}
- F16K 27/048: {Electromagnetically actuated valves}
- F16K 31/0648: {the armature and the valve member forming one element (F16K31/0651 takes precedence)}
- F16K 31/0675: {Electromagnet aspects, e.g. electric supply therefor}
- F02M 2200/08: Fuel-injection apparatus having special means for influencing magnetic flux, e.g. for shielding or guiding magnetic flux
- F02M: SUPPLYING COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL WITH COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURES OR CONSTITUENTS THEREOF
- F04B: POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS (machines for liquids, or pumps, of rotary-piston or oscillating-piston type F04C; non-positive-displacement pumps F04D; pumping of fluid by direct contact of another fluid or by using inertia of fluid to be pumped F04F)
- F16K: VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING {(devices for emptying and evacuating the excess liquid in valves or conduits F16L55/07)}

## Abstract

In a solenoid actuated inlet control valve for a fuel pump, the risk of fuel leakage from the control valve in the event of damage to the electromagnetic actuator for the inlet control valve is reduced by hydraulically isolating an actuation module containing the electromagnetic coil from a delivery module containing the hydraulic flow paths, and providing a breakaway connection between the actuation module and the delivery module.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An inlet valve for a fuel pump having a pump housing, an inlet port for receiving low pressure feed fuel, a pumping chamber within the housing for pressurizing the feed fuel, and an outlet port for discharging the pressurized fuel, comprising:
a fuel delivery module mountable in the pump housing, including an inflow passage for receiving feed fuel from the inlet port, a delivery passage for delivering feed fuel to the pumping chamber, a valve seat between the inflow passage and the delivery passage, and a valve member movable between a first position against the seat whereby the valve member closes fuel flow to the delivery passage and a second position away from the seat whereby the valve member retracts from the seat to open fuel flow to the delivery passage;
an actuation module attached to the delivery module, including an electromagnetic coil assembly that is operatively associated with the valve member for moving the valve member between the first and second positions;
wherein the actuation module is hydraulically isolated from the fuel delivery module.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The inlet valve of claim 1, wherein the actuation module is attached to the delivery module with a snap off connection.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The inlet valve of claim 2, wherein the actuation module is tack welded to the delivery module.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The inlet valve of claim 1, wherein
the valve member is magnetic;
a magnetic pole confronts the valve member;
the coil is selectively energizable for generating a magnetic flux directly magnetically coupling the pole and the valve member;
whereby the valve member is movable between said first and second positions in response to the energized state of the coil.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The inlet valve of claim 4, wherein the valve member constitutes an armature in relation to the coil and a magnetic air gap is defined between the valve member and the magnetic pole.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The inlet valve of claim 5, wherein the valve member has a sealing face that mates with said sealing surface, and the magnetic force is applied at said sealing face.

### Claim 7

A fuel pump comprising:
a housing;
an inlet port for receiving low pressure feed fuel;
a pumping chamber within the housing for pressurizing the feed fuel;
an outlet port for discharging the pressurized fuel;
a fuel delivery module mounted in the housing, including an inflow passage for receiving feed fuel from the inlet port, a delivery passage for delivering feed fuel to the pumping chamber, a valve seat between the inflow passage and the delivery passage, and a valve member movable between a first position against the seat whereby the valve member closes fuel flow to the delivery passage and a second position away from the seat whereby the valve member retracts from the seat to open fuel flow to the delivery passage;
an actuation module attached to at least one of the delivery module and housing, including an electromagnetic coil assembly that is operatively associated with the valve member for moving the valve member between the first and second positions;
wherein the actuation module is hydraulically isolated from the fuel delivery module.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The pump of claim 7, wherein the delivery module is internal to the housing and the actuation module is external to the housing.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The pump of claim 7, wherein
the delivery module is mounted in a bore in the housing and has a lower portion that is hydraulically sealed against said bore; and
the actuation module is attached to the lower portion of the delivery module.

### Claim 10 (depends on 10)

The pump of claim 10, wherein
the actuation module has a first magnetic pole, a surrounding coil, and a magnetically conductive outer jacket;
the valve member is ferromagnetic;
the lower portion of the delivery module defines a second magnetic pole magnetically coupled to the first magnetic pole;
portions of the housing, the actuation module, and the delivery module define a magnetic circuit;
whereby actuation of the electromagnetic coil applies or removes a force to move the valve member between the first and second positions.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The pump of claim 10, wherein
the delivery module is internal to the housing and has a lower portion that is hydraulically sealed against housing;
the actuation module is attached to the lower portion of the delivery module and projects entirely external to the housing.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The pump of claim 11, wherein
the actuation module is attached to the delivery module with a snap off connection.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The pump of claim 11, wherein the actuation module is tack welded to the delivery module.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The pump of claim 13, wherein said jacket has an upper end including a lip that is captured between a shoulder on said housing and a counter shoulder on the actuation module.